I can’t make myself wear “chunky” jewellery, including big necklaces, earrings and definitely NOT huge rings.  This is YEARS after I graduated from high school!  In fact, I STILL consider them tacky.  I can’t get the “shower curtain earrings” lecture the Head at my school gave in chapel years ago.  It’s often nasty and it’s definitely not uniform-appropriate (and not to mention, out of proportion on my petite frame).  To this day, some 20 years later, I can’t seem to see where these sorts of pieces fit in with my wardrobe, which is why I don’t have many posts about accessories.  Besides, bracelets never fit me, anyway.  If I can’t wear them, I can’t write about them.  I will, however, Instagram or share them on other forms of social media if I see pieces at a media event.

Earrings like this are probably as “statement-y” as the author would go

The earrings the woman is wearing would be what the Head at the author’s high school called “Shower Curtain Earrings” – a DEFINITE NO!

I keep my pieces very simple.  Small studs for the ears when I feel like wearing them, a charm necklace (which, by the way, wouldn’t have been considered uniform appropriate as it is NOT a religious symbol.  Culturally, jade is considered good luck/a symbol of prosperity, and my family wanted me to wear that (I really didn’t care whether I did or not).  That was why I wore a jade cross while at school, which wasn’t that difficult to find.  These days, I have two jade charms, a horse (my “protector” animal as I am a ram/goat/sheep) and a flask) and, of course, my wedding and engagement rings.  That’s pretty much it!  I might wear a slightly bigger, yet still subtle necklace or small, dangly earrings (yes, I wore them in high school as well – on weekends or “grub” days when I didn’t wear my uniform) sometimes, but that’s pretty much it.  I can’t really bring myself to wear bright red lipstick for the same reason (though I definitely wear noticeable(ish) make-up – something that was definitely inappropriate/not allowed at school back then.  I will also not wear too many pieces.  Too much bling is a bit unattractive to me.  Besides, it doesn’t look professional.  If you can’t wear it to a semi-conservative office, it doesn’t belong on me.

This kind of necklace is a DEFINITE NO (not only because the author is petite, but it’s more than a bit over the top)

I know that some people who went to “restrictive” schools like mine (I don’t consider it “restrictive,” no matter what people on sites like Jezebel (I hate read that blog) seem to think.  It’s just a certain culture (one that I consider myself part of) and they need to respect that.  I respect other people’s traditions, so why don’t you do the same?) go crazy when they graduate – some might dye their hair pink or get visible tattoos, lip piercings, etc…, but that’s them.  For many, it’s probably a phase, anyway.  Once they finish university and go into the professional world, things will change. Have I been criticized by people for being boring and unadventurous?  Sure, especially from the fashion crowd or uber-liberal/individualistic types (not that they’re one and the same).  However, I have no problem with that, because they get the same sort of treatment from me.  I think they’re weird myself!

Image credits (in order of appearance): Small earrings: Issarawat Tattong; JPagetRFPhotos; carlo dapino – all from Shutterstock